Dec 26

Dec 26 6 Essential Safety Tips to You Need Before Your Next Trip

Have you ever taken a solo trip? There are loads of safety precautions one must take when traveling alone, but you also can’t forget to stay safe when traveling with a partner or group of friends. Since I am someone who travels so much, I spend a good deal of time focusing on how to stay as safe as possible when traveling. I have learned a lot from my various trips abroad, either solo, with my friends, or with my husband, so keep reading for some of my top safety tips for travelers!

6 Essential Safety Tips to You Need Before Your Next Trip

Travel with a portable carbon monoxide detector

Carbon monoxide detectors are a home essential, but this year there have been several stories reported of people being found dead in their hotels or AirBnBs due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

For a while I just assumed that including a carbon monoxide detector was standard practice, but unfortunately it is not. Definitely get in the habit of double checking with your hotel or AirBnB host that there are functioning carbon monoxide detectors before you finalize your booking, and pack your own portable carbon monoxide detector. I just picked up one of these on Amazon, but there are dozens of options you can choose from. It doesn’t really matter the brand, just look for something small and easy to pack that also includes a backup battery in case of a power outage.

Don’t forget a door jam or additional lock

So story time, I was in New York for a family gathering and we all booked blocks of rooms at a chain hotel, like a Marriot or Holiday Inn. I was coming back to my room and when I walked in one of my cousins was just in the room chilling.

I was fully expecting her to be there so no big deal, but I asked her how she got the key. And she said she just asked reception for the key to room number whatever and they just gave it to her. They didn’t ask for ID, they didn’t even verify that I had added her name to my room reservation ya’ll! So naturally I went down there and barked at the manager loud enough for several other guests in the line to check in to hear me.

But unfortunately this kind of stuff happens all too often. While a door jam can’t protect you from someone coming into your room when you are not there, it can at least keep you safe once you are inside. I use this one which will block a door from opening fully and it also lets out an extremely loud alarm if the door is even cracked. You can get one for a hotel room and extras for when you stay in an AirBnB with multiple points of entry.

Choose your travel partners carefully

I could not make this video without discussing the tragic case of Shanquella Robinson who was allegedly murdered on a group trip to Cabo at the hands of people she thought were her friends. I cannot imagine what her family is going through.

And her case is not the only one of its kind. In the past year there have actually been several stories of people allegedly being murdered by their travel partner, be it a spouse or a friend. Of course there is no way to predict if someone you love will hurt you and victims should never be blamed for the things that happen to them. But all I can say is if you get invited on a trip with someone you have had a rocky relationship with, give it a second thought and trust your instincts and make sure people at home have a little bit of background on the situation in case shit really does hit the fan.

Pre-arrange airport transportation

Whenever I travel alone I always book an airport transfer with a driver meet and greet. That means that the driver will be waiting for you inside the airport holding a sign with your name on it. As a female solo traveler one of the times you are most vulnerable is when you land alone at the airport and are trying to make it to your hotel. Having that driver meet and greet is an extra layer of security to make sure you aren’t wandering around and potentially hopping in an unauthorized taxi with someone pretending to be a taxi or Uber driver.

This may seem like a luxury, but it’s actually not as expensive as it might seem. I usually look for these on Viator or Booking.com and when reserved in advance they are around the same price as a normal taxi would be. There are also usually options for a shared shuttle service which will pick up multiple travelers and drop them at their respective hotels, which is a great way to get the secure pickup but also save on the cost.

This is a great option if you have time to spare in your itinerary, since these pickups take longer since you are waiting for more passengers to pick up then making multiple drop off stops and the order is determined by the driver. If you are someone who plans to save money by using public transportation, just be sure you know how to find it from the airport and how to make your way to the hotel from where the bus or metro lets you off. Try to identify a cafe or store that would be a safe place to stop inside if you need a few minutes to figure out walking directions or wait for an Uber to your final destination. And do not use this option at night!

Share your itinerary with someone at home

Always make sure someone at home knows where you are and knows how to find you in case something happens. That means making sure they know where you are staying and how to contact the hotel or AirBnB host, what time you were supposed to be landing and departing, and any important details. Unfortunately emergencies happen, and if your friends or family know you were supposed to land and whatever time and check into your hotel a few hours later and they don’t hear from you, they need to have this info to alert the authorities.

Send even a loose itinerary to your friends/family and check in periodically to update them.

Have an emergency plan

Do you know what number to call if you need the police? Hint, it’s probably not 911!

Before you land, save emergency phone numbers for your destination, as well as the phone number to your local embassy or consulate. Keep cash on hand in the local currency, and be sure to learn local warning systems, evacuation routes, and shelters, especially if you are going to a place that is prone to natural disasters.

I also recommend enrolling in STEP, a US government program that will make sure you receive important information from your local embassy about safety conditions in the country you’re traveling to, helps the embassy contact you in an emergency, like a natural disaster or civil unrest, and helps family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency. No the government is not going to use it to track you, spy on you or whatever you may be paranoid about, it is literally just a tool to help you in the event of an emergency abroad.

Check out my travel safety tips on YouTube!

Hopefully these tips will help you and your loved ones stay safe when you are traveling! Let me know in the comments if you have more tips to share. And if you found this post helpful and think it will help your friends, go ahead and send it to someone that you think will find it useful.